VIII Corps (United Kingdom)

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The British VIII Corps was an army corps formation that existed during World War I and World War II.

[edit] World War I

The VIII Corps was first formed at Gallipoli during World War I. The main British battle front was at Cape Helles on the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. As the battle became protracted, more British division arrived as reinforcements. In May 1915, these divisions were arranged as the British Army Corps which was then redesignated as the VIII Corps in June. The corps commander was Lieutenant General Aylmer Hunter-Weston. When Hunter-Weston relinquished command due to illness, the corps was commanded by General Francis Davies.

During the Gallipoli campaign, the corps contained the following units:

• 29th Division - (moved to IX Corps at Suvla in August)
• 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
• 52nd (Lowland) Division
• Royal Naval Division
• 29th Indian Brigade - (moved to ANZAC in August)

After the evacuation of Gallipoli, the corps was reformed in France in March 1916, once again under the command of Hunter-Weston. It participated in the Battle of the Somme. The corps was disbanded in June 1918 when Hunter-Weston moved to the XVIII Corps but this corps was then redesignated as the VIII Corps in July 1918.

[edit] World War II

VIII Corps fought on the western front in 1944 and 1945 as part of Second Army. From January 21 to November 27 1944 it was commanded by Lt. General Richard O'Connor. At the start of the Normandy Campaign it comprised:

• Guards Armoured Division (later transferred to XXX Corps)
• 11th Armoured Division (later transferred to XXX Corps)
• 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division (later transferred to XII Corps )
• 6 Guards Tank Brigade
• 2 Household Cavalry Regiment
• 8 Group Royal Artillery

It played a major role in Operations Epsom, Jupiter, Goodwood and Bluecoat before being reduced in size and moved to the reserve prior to the breakout from Normandy. The Corps fought in Operation Market Garden, capturing the Dutch towns of Deurne and Helmond, and took part in the advance on Venraij and Venlo ( Operation Constellation ) beginning on October 12 1944. VIII Corps later crossed the Elbe, occupied Plön in Schleswig-Holstein and took part in Operation Plunder.

[edit] Post-war

In the immediate post-war period the corps formed the VIII Corps District in Schleswig-Holstein before being disbanded in 1946. Its final composition was^[1]:

• 4th Armoured Brigade
• Jewish Infantry Brigade
• 7th Armoured Division
  • 22nd Armoured Brigade
  • 131st Infantry Brigade (detached to Berlin)
  • 13th Infantry Brigade (attached from 5th Division)
• 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division
  • 46th Infantry Brigade

[edit] References